To get started, you need to pair your headset with your iPad. In the Settings app, navigate to “General” and select “Bluetooth.” Make sure that Bluetooth is turned on, and at that point initiate your headset’s pairing mode. With the Jawbone ERA, you perform what is referred to as a “Double ShakeShake” to activate the pairing mode (a single “ShakeShake” is two quick successive shakes of the device), but you other headsets use different methods, like a long press of the power button. Once paired, you’re ready to use your headset with almost any audio app on the iPad. Here are four popular choices:

FaceTime. This was the first app I tried out and it worked perfectly on the first attempt.  The Bluetooth headset is treaded similar to  AirPlay devices, in the sources list. The only issue is that I noticed that I could not do was answer and hang up the call with the controls on the headset.

Skype. With Skype, the Bluetooth headset once connected will be enabled by default. Call quality was good on both ends in test calls. The added advantage of using Skype over FaceTime is that you have access to all of your Skype contacts, and you can place traditional ‘land line’ calls to any plain old telephone number if you have a paid account.

Google Voice (via Talkatone). With Talkatone, you can make calls using your Google Voice account and the Bluetooth headset worked like a charm.You can also use Google Voice to place calls to any traditional phone number. The difference here is that you can’t make video calls.

Unfortunately, you can’t answer calls with a Bluetooth headset using any of the apps above, even when they can receive calls running in background mode. Still, it definitely beats holding your iPad to your ear or always using speakerphone mode when talking to people through iPad voice and video chat apps.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Connected Consumer Q2: Digital music meets the cloud; e-book growth explodes
• The Future of Workplaces
• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era

The video of Skype that leaked (embedded below) shows what looks to be a fairly impressive finished product. It takes full advantage of the iPad’s larger screen size, allowing users to make audio and video calls, and use text-based chat, as well as allowing users to chat via text while on a video call. The iPad 2′s camera is the primary driving force behind the company’s decision to release an iPad-specific version of its iOS app, Osterloh said.

Skype for iPad can make use of both of the iPad 2′s cameras, and also appears to support calling out to landlines and mobile phones, just like other mobile and desktop clients. File sharing isn’t included in the iPad version, but that’s because of the iPad’s lack of a user-accessible file system, and it’s not yet clear whether group video chat will be included in this iPad release.

The Skype app’s contact browser appears to work similar to the iPad’s music player app, with big square contact photos appearing in a grid configuration. Judging by the video, I’m tempted to say it actually looks like it could be a joy to use, unlike the most recent Skype release for Mac.

Having a native iPad client will be great for both video and voice communications on the iPad. FaceTime is nice, but it obviously has a much more limited reach because it only works with Apple hardware. Skype has the advantage of being multi-platform, and its VoIP capabilities are nothing to sneeze at, either. Look for it in the App Store in the near future.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• The Future of Workplaces
• Connected Consumer 2011: What Not to Expect

The list of apps that offer free texting and voice services on iOS devices grows longer every day. Viber is one, as is Vumber, which now provides cross-platform Android and iOS calling. These apps have a noble goal: provide users with an alternative to managing costly voice and text plans from carriers in addition to the data plans they must have in order to take advantage of everything smartphones have to offer. But they also come with a big downside: These apps are only as strong as their network of users, (since in most cases, free calling only happens between users who have the same app installed on their device), and as the data network that allows them to exist.

Apps like Vumber, Viber, WhatsApp Messenger and even, to some extent, Skype depend on users getting others to sign up to take advantage of the cheap or free rates. Research In Motion’s BBM works on roughly the same concept, as does the recently announced iMessage, although since both are pre-installed on specific hardware, their reach will be much greater initially than third-party offerings.

While I applaud any efforts to provide competitive alternatives to overpriced carrier talk and text plans, I think the network flaw for this kind of startup will eventually turn out to be a fatal one. For example, Google already offers a much more flexible option via its Google Voice service, and one that’s compatible with landlines and traditional cell phones out of the box. If Google Voice ever does expand worldwide, it’ll take a big dent out of potential demand for smaller VoIP offerings.

And while Google Voice is a looming threat because it doesn’t just work with itself, there’s another potential industry-breaker that already has the network part down, and just needs to expand its communications platform. I’m talking about Facebook, which, if it gained cross-platform voice support, would quite quickly rise to the top of the VoIP field.

Finally, carriers aren’t likely to take the circumvention of their services lying down. Already, we’ve seen capped bandwidth plans pretty much take over mobile broadband, and some carriers have even prohibited the use of VoIP services over their data networks.With Google and Facebook stalking the seas of free mobile communications, and carriers doing what they can to either discourage the practice or  I’m not sure I’d be too eager to swim with anyone else.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• The rise of tablets in the enterprise
• Mobile Q1: All Eyes on Tablets, T-Mobile and AT&T

What You Need

Google Voice Account. If you’re not already part of Google Voice, simply log into your Google account and sign-up for Google Voice (google.com/voice, but it’s U.S. only as of this writing). It will walk you through the sign-up process, including setting up a new number.

GV Connect. Google’s strategy for the iPad, including Google Voice, appears to be limited to Safari apps only. Google offers an official iOS-native Google Voice client for the iPhone, but GV Connect is a better option, as it has full support iPad support.

Talkatone. Neither the Safari interface that Google offers, nor GV Connect will make VOIP calls from your iOS device. To enable that functionality, you need to download and install the free, ad-supported Talkatone app.  Yes, this is an iPhone app, but you can control it from the iPad-friendly GV Connect interface.

How to Make a Phone Call

Once you have a Google Voice account, download and install both the GV Connect and Talkatone clients on your iPad, and set up each with your Google Voice account information. Then, in GV Connect, do the following:

1. Under Settings, set the Start Calls From setting to Google Talk.
2. Enable the Call using Talkatone setting.
3. Click on the telephone handset icon in the upper left corner to place a call.

While you are controlling your Google Voice account from within GV Connect, the VOIP call is actually being handled by Talkatone. Talkatone does claim to allow calls over 3G, but the quality of those calls are dependent on the network. I’ve only used it while connected via Wi-Fi.

How to Receive a Phone Call

To direct all your incoming calls to be received on your iPad. In GV Connect on your iPad, do the following:

1. Under Settings, set the Call Forwarding setting to Google Talk.
2. Make sure you are logged in to your Google Account in Talkatone.
3. Wait for an incoming call.

It’s that easy; just make sure you’re not logged in to Google Talk anywhere else. I tend to use the stock earbuds to avoid looking like a fool with the iPad pressed against my face, but unfortunately, Bluetooth headsets aren’t fully supported by either Apple or Talkatone. I have yet to completely dedicate my Google Voice account to exclusive iPad-only calling, but I’d love to hear from you if you end up using the solution described above as a total home or cell phone replacement.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Mobile Q1: All Eyes on Tablets, T-Mobile and AT&T
• Connected Consumer Q1: The Over-the-Top vs. Pay TV Battle Heats Up
• A Media Tablet Forecast, 2011 – 2015

When we covered Viber at launch, I suggested that it might be able to steal some of Skype’s thunder, and this update doesn’t change that impression. In fact, with free texting to your Viber contacts that displays a pop-up notification on their device even when the app is closed (so long as it isn’t removed from the multitasking bar), and delivery status notification (BBM-style ), it’s better positioned to disrupt the iPhone VoIP scene than ever.

Viber also introduced some key usability improvements in this update, including the ability to automatically filter all your Viber-using contacts with one tap, and a redesigned calling mechanism that displays a “Calling” state when you’re first connecting, and a “Ringing” state when your contact’s device is actually in the process of receiving a call. This makes it much easier to tell at a glance the actual status of your call.

I asked Ayelet Noff, Viber’s PR representative about Viber’s plans for the future. The company is looking into supporting video calls, which would really help it compete with Skype, but there’s no specific timeline attached to the introduction of that feature. Viber’s first priority right now is to add additional platforms, including Android. The ability to connect users across platforms would definitely go a long way toward broadening Viber’s appeal, since it’s impossible to find a group of friends, relatives or business associates who exclusively use iPhones (unless maybe you work at Apple).

Viber is completely free and doesn’t feature any ads, which is good news for users now, but also leaves me feeling the other shoe has to drop sometime. Noff acknowledged that Viber does plan to offer value-add services down the line in exchange for payment, but that first and foremost, the company is most concerned with expanding its network to as many platforms as possible, and to ensuring the basic Viber experience is solid. iPod touch and iPad support, also in the pipeline, are nearing completion.

If you haven’t tried it, Viber’s call quality is excellent. I tested the update with a friend in Montreal just this morning and found voice quality much better even than on my iPhone’s cellular service, and that’s consistently been the case with my Viber use. Plus, it automatically sets itself up using your phone number and your phone’s contact info, so there’s no additional sign-up, buddy list creation or anything else. If Viber keeps delivering at this high level of quality as it grows to other platforms, it’s definitely the VoIP service to watch.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Could Skype in Your Pocket Beat the iPod Touch?
• The Future of Workplaces

Facebook Messenger ($2.99), created by Crisp App, works between iPhone and iPod touch devices, and between your iOS device and the web. Aside from providing a mighty tempting target for accusations of trademark infringement, the app lets users VoIP call online Facebook users on both mobile and web-based clients. On an iPhone or iPod touch, they receive an incoming call screen with the option to accept or deny, or a push notification if the app isn’t open. On the web, your chat target will receive a link asking them to accept your call, which will transfer them to a web page for handling the call. The recipient can take part in the call so long as they have a computer with a microphone and speakers.

I tried out the app calling between iPhones and to the desktop. Both had roughly the same voice quality, which was quite good. The only issue was that both the other caller and I experienced significant delay between when we spoke, and when the other caller heard what we said. There was also an echo effect, so you could hear what you’d just said repeated faintly after you said it. Also, in both cases, the time between initiating a call and the call showing up on the other user’s device or machine was considerable. If you aren’t patient, you might think someone isn’t answering, when in fact they haven’t yet been notified of your call.

Why then, should Skype be concerned about Facebook Messenger? Because despite early hiccups, the concept behind the app is killer. Facebook is already probably the de facto way a lot of people communicate, with a much broader reach than Twitter, and it’s becoming even more of a communication hub thanks to its recent messaging system upgrade. If Facebook Messenger can beef up its architecture to provide a smoother, quicker VoIP experience, it could leverage Facebook’s network to leapfrog to the front of the competition, especially if it can somehow integrate video in future iterations. Unless, that is, Facebook decides this is too good an idea and decides to bake the feature into its site and app itself.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

• How Google Voice Could Change Communication
• Report: Google’s Voice Possibilities
• There’s No Such Thing as a Killer Feature for Smartphones

There are some caveats. You can’t call any number for free, just other Viber users. Calling a number not associated with a Viber account will boot you out to the iPhone’s own Phone app to place the call, which will incur carrier or long distance charges. And there’s no warning of that, so watch your usage.

Also, unlike with Skype, there’s no way to call out to landlines or mobile phones, even through additional purchases, which may be a deal breaker to some. But for my purposes, which mainly consist of not using up my limited daytime minutes talking to my girlfriend, it’s a perfect solution. Perfect that is, as long as everyone involved has an iPhone. Viber is advertising an Android version as in the works, though, so cross-platform calls could be on the horizon.

But why not just use Skype? Well, for one, Viber doesn’t really require a sign up or separate account. All you do is enter your iPhone’s phone number once when the app launches, and you’re all set to begin making calls to other Viber users. That means I don’t have to worry about whether or not my girlfriend is signed in to Skype or has the app running, since Viber uses Apple’s push notifications to receive calls even when closed. Clicking “Answer” on the resulting alert opens the app and connects the call.

Viber suggests using the app as a way for businesses to provide a toll-free international calling number, but of course, those wanting to call would have to have Viber installed in order for this to work. They don’t, however, have to have you as a contact. Instead, just dialing the number you provide in the Viber app will automatically place a call using the service instead of your cellular minutes.

Planned future features for Viber include free text messaging, custom ringtones and wallpapers, and location-based services. Viber’s business model doesn’t yet include any way to make revenue, so expect a few of those to be features you end up paying for. But since the press release explicitly says “free text messaging” and promises that calls will remain free, which is all I care about, I’m happy to see Viber embracing a freemium model.

Full support for the iPod touch and iPad is also said to be on the way, although right now I wonder how that’ll work, since the whole service seems based around your phone number. Hopefully, it will arrive, because that’ll go a long way to extending Viber’s potential reach.

Even without any new teachers, I doubt I’ll be using Skype on my iPhone again any time soon. Anyone else a convert?

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

• Research Note: What a Skype-Cisco Partnership Could Mean
• Report: U.S. Mobile Venture Capital Investment, Q2 2010
• Report: Google’s Voice Possibilities

My Google Voice needs are somewhat modest. For me, it’s the number I give out when someone wants to get in touch, but I don’t want to give them the Super Top Secret Cell Phone Number. So, PR people, headhunters, bill collectors, etc. all get the Google Voice number. Most of the time, I even turn forwarding off so it goes straight to voice mail.

Given my limited usage, I found GV Connect does as advertised. However, if you’re the person that uses their Google Voice number as your regular number, the lack of push of notifications might be a deal breaker. The lack of such notifications for voice mail isn’t that big of a deal for me, since I get an e-mail alert when a message is left. I’m not also not a big user of text messages in general, so I’m not going to mourn the loss of that, either.

GV Connect uses your iPhone’s contacts, not your Google Voice contacts. This isn’t going to be a problem if your iPhone gets its contacts from Google. If you sync to a different service, you’ll need to add contacts manually, or set up your iPhone to also grab your Google contacts.

GV Connect seems like a fine way to manage your outgoing Google Voice calls. Forwarded calls still work the same way; the app isn’t a factor. If this is most of what you’re using GV for, the app is a great way to do it.

For $3, GV Connect is a great way to eliminate the somewhat-slow Google Voice web app and use a native solution. Even though I’m not a huge Google Voice user, I feel like I’m getting my latte’s worth out of this app.

Side note: there are people mentioning connection errors on the app reviews. I didn’t personally experience any connection issues, but the developer has announced a fix for that is waiting on Apple to approve. It looks like it could be limited to international users, so if that’s you, wait for the update.

Related GigaOM Pro Research:
Report: Google’s Voice Possibilities

Version 2.0 of Skype’s free iPhone app can be downloaded from the iTunes store now. However, despite making 3G VOIP calls a reality, it’s not all good news: the feature will soon become a premium option. Skype has detailed that starting late August 2010 the company will introduce a small fee that users will be required to pay on a monthly basis in order to use the Skype-to-Skype 3G call making feature.

From now until the unspecified August date users can try the new feature free-of-charge. Our early tests have proven the service works well with voice quality being surprisingly crisp and clear. Skype has described the quality of calls as near “CD-quality sound”; of course this all depends on how good your signal is.

When in a call the typical speaker, mute, hold and number pad options are available, users can also navigate around the Skype application at leisure. Sadly, pressing the iPhone’s home button to access other applications is not available, although running the Skype app in the background is something which will hopefully be introduced once OS 4.0 arrives. Other improvements to the updated application include an improved start-up time and the ability to access Skype’s dial pad quickly from the iPhone’s home screen.

Skype’s Russ Shaw, General Manager for Mobile, said the following about the new Skype features:

Using Skype on iPhone without being restricted to the availability of a WiFi network will open up new ways for Skype customers to stay connected and make free or low-cost calls whenever they want, wherever they are in the world.

You can download the updated iPhone application from the iTunes store now. If you give the app a try, be sure to let us know your thoughts on the new 3G call capabilities in the comments.

UPDATE: It was originally presumed that 3G calls would only be free until the end of August, however the Skype application’s fine print has revealed that the calls could be free “until the end of 2010.” Skype officials have not clarified on the matter, but we may be getting free 3G calls for longer than expected.

AT&T has amended the terms of use for the iPhone and now allows Apple has apparently updated its iPhone SDK to allow VoIP applications to run over 3G data networks. Previously, VoIP applications were only approved for sale in the App Store if they were limited to Wi-Fi.

The developers of the iCall VoIP application for iPhone issued a press release yesterday that they have the first VoIP over 3G app for the iPhone.

Apple Computer, Inc. has updated the iPhone developer SDK to allow VoIP over cellular networks. iCall is the first and only VoIP application that functions on the iPhone and iPod Touch over cellular 3G networks.

iCall CEO Arlo Gilbert is quoted as saying, “I applaud Apple’s decision to allow iCall to extend its functionality beyond Wi-Fi and onto the 3G networks. This heralds a new era for VoIP applications on mobile platforms, especially for iCall and our free calling model. I hope that now more developers will begin using our VoIP as a platform to integrate VoIP into their applications.”

CNET was also able to get comment from both AT&T and Apple confirming that VoIP applications are now supported on the 3G network.

AT&T said it informed Apple and the Federal Communications Commission of its decision Tuesday afternoon.

“We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VoIP applications,” Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris said. “We will be amending our developer agreements to get VoIP apps on the App Store and in customers’ hands as soon as possible.”

VoIP on the iPad?

At yesterday’s announcements Apple reiterated over and over that “virtually” all of the 140,000+ apps in the App Store would work with the iPad. Skype was mentioned by David Pogue in his coverage and I’m fairly certain Apple provided him with more briefing on the iPad than they did for me. While there is no explicit announcement confirming VoIP for the $29 unlimited 3G service, it seems possible that iCall (or Skype) would run unaltered on the iPad and would work over the 3G data plan. This could mean a $30/month unlimited calling plan for the iPad that would work anywhere, not just when in range of a Wi-Fi signal.

VOIP Means the iPad Needs Multitasking

While I was quick to dismiss the early complaints about the lack of multitasking on the iPad, it seems that VoIP calling is a critical application that would require this functionality. On the iPhone, it is really convenient to jump into email and contacts while on a phone call to pull up some information relevant to the conversation. It will be really annoying to be on a VoIP call on your iPad and have to hang up (by quitting the VoIP app) to look something up.

I suspect we will see some VoIP apps with integrated web browsing for the simple reason that conference calls with web slides will work a lot better if you can look at the slides while on the call.

Google Voice?

It is less clear if this change in the terms of the SDK and AT&T’s policies will allow Google to move forward with a native iPhone app. Apple apparently rejected the app because it substantially duplicated existing functionality and the interface could confuse customers. Google Voice is not a VoIP application in that it actually uses your cell phone minutes by redirecting calls to and from your Google Voice number (which might result in free calling using AT&T’s A-List feature). Still, if there are VoIP apps that run on 3G, it seems like the duplication and confusion arguments would be weakened and might convince Apple to approve the Google Voice app. In the mean time, I have found the new Google Voice web app to be a good implementation given the lack of integration that would have been possible with a native app.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Report: A Mobile Video Market Overview
• In Q3, the Tablet and 4G Were the Big Stories
• Mobile Operators’ Strategies for Connected Devices

So long as you have iPhone OS 3.0 installed on your iPhone, you should be able to receive video calls with Fring from desktop and certain Nokia phone users once you install the update. As with everything cool on the iPhone, you’ll have to have a Wi-Fi connection to use video calling features, just as you must to make and receive voice calls, too. This despite AT&T’s announcement that it would allow VOIP on its network.

Video calling works as advertised, but I’ll warn you that it can be an unnerving experience to talk to someone who can’t see you, but who you can see, for all parties involved. You can even initiate video calls from the iPhone, but obviously doing so still won’t enable video services on your end.

It’s a neat trick, and handy if you’re on the road and haven’t seen a loved one for quite a while, but until Apple gets wise to this trend (if it is one; some think video calling will never catch on in the mainstream), I’ll be placing my iPhone Skype calls the old-fashioned way, to avoid the accompanying feeling of slightly creepy voyeurism that comes with watching without being watched. The video below will help you fathom the system if you’re not interested or able to give it a go yourself.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• The Smart Energy Home
• The Future of Work Platforms: An Overview

This week’s picks are all about distractions, I’ve selected four apps to take your mind off everything else. My top pick is NFB Films, the National Film Board of Canada’s official iPhone app. Plus I’ve also been looking at Jamie Oliver’s 20 Minute Meals, Rebtel and Mr. Bounce.

NFB Films (Free)

Knowing little about the National Film Board of Canada, I was admittedly drawn to the app for other reasons. You see, I’m a long-time fan of Boards of Canada, a Scottish duo who make crackling, whistful electronic music. The pair are known for borrowing samples — and even their name — from Canada’s NFB.

The app itself has absolutely nothing to do with the musicians. It’s actually a meticulously archived selection of videos plucked from the National Film Board of Canada’s brimming library. There’s both classic and current content, organized into categories such as Classics, Documentaries, Animated Films and Social Issues. It’s worth noting that these aren’t clips — the videos are feature-length presentations.

For such a vast quantity of content, it’s encouraging that the app is focused on usability. Browsing content feels just like Apple’s own iPod app, you can mark videos to be watched later, or send to a friend too. There’s even a button to find out what other nearby users are watching. And all this for free, too. It’s really quite brilliant. It’s a truly wonderful app and the NFB should be commended for allowing us all access to such a fantastic collection.

Jamie Oliver’s 20 Minute Meals ($7.99)

Cooking might not be everyone’s idea of fun but, for the non-believers, I can assure you that once you get started it’s a joy. There’s nothing quite like creating a gorgeous looking plate of food and then, in the process of devouring it, discovering that it’s actually quite tasty too.

The turning point for me came after I attempted Jamie Oliver’s recipe for pan-fried tuna steak with fresh asparagus wrapped in pancetta. Before that, the extent of my cooking ability was scrambled egg. Or omelette if I happened to get distracted and forgot to do the scrambling. For me, Jamie made cooking easy and accessible. A pleasure instead of a complex chore.

The iPhone app is essentially a Jamie Oliver cookbook infused with a dollop of multimedia goodness. There are 50 recipes included, all of which can be thrown together in 20 minutes. Each recipe features mouth-watering step-by-step photos and audio clips from Jamie too. There’s even a range of videos presented by Jamie to help you learn essential kitchen skills. A proper pukka package, as the man himself might say.

Rebtel (Free)

News broke a couple of weeks back that AT&T is finally ready to allow Internet voice calls over its wireless network. What this means for iPhone users in the U.S. is that soon you’ll be able to make calls using the Skype app over 3G.

We’re still waiting for the news to manifest itself in an actual Skype app update, furthermore it’s unclear whether carriers across Europe will follow suit with AT&T. This is where VOIP service Rebtel comes in. The company claim that their new app allows super-cheap VOIP calls on the iPhone today.

Except the app doesn’t quite do that. What it actually does is uses a smart workaround to create a clever compromise. When you call a contact using Rebtel, the app automatically generates a local number which your call is routed through. It’s essentially an automated version of the Skype To Go service.

Mr Bounce (99 cents)

The last of my devastatingly distracting picks this week comes in the form of a game. Mr Bounce gives Atari’s oft-cloned Breakout an intriguing physics-based twist. Rather than just controlling the bat, you also control the ball’s altitude.

Initially it feels complicated. Like a physicists re-imagining of a classic game. Changing the altitude effectively changes the bounciness of the ball. There’s also trajectory projection, so you can see the path that the ball will follow. The game is even rendered with an RGB aesthetic and glowing vector geometry.

Once you’ve traversed the first few levels though, the game clicks and you’ll be guided through 25 excellent levels by the catchy blippy bloppy soundtrack. Great fun and great value too as Mr Bounce is currently only 99 cents.

That’s all the picks for this week. I’ll be back in seven days with a fresh selection of App Store recommendations.

In the meantime, what apps have you been using this week?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• How to Market Your iPhone App: A Developer’s Guide

The official line is that AT&T is responding to customer expectation and demand considering the introduction of VOIP-capable devices like the iPhone, but in reality, with the FCC investigation into wireless industry competition hanging over its head, AT&T is probably trying to fend off government-mandated penalties in advance.

According to the Associated Press;

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, one of three Democrats on the commission, wants to impose net neutrality rules to ensure that broadband providers don’t abuse their power over Internet access to favor their own services or harm competitors. His plan has alarmed wireless carriers because it would apply these rules across different types of broadband networks, including wireless networks.

AT&T’s move is a calculated one, designed to show that the industry can successfully self-regulate without government interference. It’s kind of equivalent to the kid who wouldn’t share at recess readily giving up a toy once another kid actually leaves to tell the teacher.

Whatever the reason behind the decision to relax its rules for network use, the real winners here are iPhone users. If Skype, Google Voice, and other internet telephony apps make their way into the App Store, iPhone users will be able to avoid artificially high rates for long distance and contract minute overages by taking advantage of their existing data plans. It’s one more step towards flat data rates for all cell features, which is what should be in place anyway.

Of course, it’s still up to Apple to approve any VOIP apps before iPhone users can take advantage of the new rules. I’m willing to bet that Cupertino had a significant hand in convincing AT&T that this was a wise move, considering the negative press the computer company was receiving over the Google Voice debacle. Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris had this to say about the announcement:

“We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VOIP applications. We will be amending our developer agreements to get VOIP apps on the App Store and in customers’ hands as soon as possible.”

The introduction of 3G VOIP will no doubt have an impact on AT&T’s network, which has seen numerous problems in the past due to the increased demand placed upon it by iPhone users. The wireless provider seems to have made improvements, as evidenced by the relatively smooth introduction of MMS earlier this month, but it remains to be seen if they can also cope with this new load.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Could Skype in Your Pocket Beat the iPod Touch?
• Report: Google’s Voice Possibilities

If you watch TV, then you probably can’t erase the memory of Vonage commercials from your brain, no matter how hard you try. The voiceover IP (VOIP) provider has been in business for quite a while now, but it has been losing ground to cheap alternatives by various cable TV service providers. Enter the App Store.

Today, just by announcing that its iPhone app received official approval from Apple, and without releasing any details about what said app actually does, Vonage engineered a major stock surge for itself. Share prices are experiencing big gains based on the potential benefit an App Store presence could bring for the VOIP operator.

This phenomenon, which I like to call the App Store Bump (not to be confused with the Colbert Bump), is another indication that Apple’s mobile application marketplace is something more than just one among many. Think an App World or even an Android Marketplace announcement would have as much influence on investor confidence? Think again.

App Store presence has become a sign not just of astute trend-spotting, but one of continued relevance. It breathes new life into business models that were either questionably viable in the first place (I’m thinking satellite radio here), or have lost viability through the emergence of newer, better, shinier competitors (Vonage being the perfect example). It also offers a way for entertainment media like games to reach a new target audience, when they may have saturated their existing demographic. I’m looking squarely at you, upcoming GTA: Chinatown Wars port.

What can the App Store Bump save next? Pogs? Devil sticks? Your guess is as good as mine.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• How to Market Your iPhone App: A Developer’s Guide
• Report: Web Worker Survey 2010

Is anyone really surprised?

We know that AT&T and every other cell phone carrier overcharges for service, taking into account the sheer volume of users and how long cell phone technology has been around. Considering how much providing basic cell phone service costs, and how relatively inexpensive it is to add text messages and data support, it’s clear that companies like AT&T stand to make a pretty penny.

I mean, honestly; it costs an extra $20 a month for unlimited texting in addition to $30 a month for “unlimited” iPhone data usage. Really? Text messaging costs two-thirds the price of always-on, feature rich email? Emails that support video, audio and images; something iPhone users still aren’t getting because of a lack of MMS support. There’s just no way the pricing structure is based on the product.

Looking at the Big Picture

The WSJ report reveals that AT&T’s profit margin for its wireless services are considered high at 25%. It makes sense, considering many people likely pay extra for hefty plans (data, text, video, etc.), when the actual impact on AT&T’s network is marginal. Granted, sometimes coverage is spotty and “crowded” but the fact is, that’s not because we’re causing too much strain on the network, it’s because AT&T should be investing in making these networks more interoperable with others and capable of carrying more users, but is instead price gouging customers for increasingly horrible service.

Are they taking advantage of us? Yes. We know that. (Even David Pogue agrees with his “Take Back The Beep Campaign”) So why on earth would AT&T quietly stand aside and allow Google Voice, since it represents such a dramatic shift from the norm? Google knows that voice calls and text messages are very easy on bandwidth. AT&T knows that allowing Google to steal its profits marks the end of an era. Landlines gave and continue to give ground to cell phones, and customers are switching to VoIP services or other mediums like Twitter or Google Voice for communication. Cell service might be next on the chopping block, if something like Google Voice is allowed to take root and grow.

The Future

Can AT&T reinvent itsefl and survive? The economy is tough, so now is the perfect time to be daring and really focus on your customers. Or will AT&T continue to overcharge and stifle innovation like Google Voice and other services? I personally hope that we will move towards a better future where carriers will play nicer with each other, with other services, and with other emerging technologies. For example, wouldn’t it be great if when I was at home, my iPhone routed calls over my Wi-Fi connection instead of over the “crowded” network? It might alleviate some of AT&T’s service outages. Things like this are possible, but only in consumers wield their power and demand that carriers provide them.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Mobile Q4: All Eyes Were on Android, 4G and the Rising Tablet Tide
• Report: A Mobile Video Market Overview

It may not have the charitable underpinnings of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative, but Ivan Kristic couldn’t have asked for a better follow-up job than at Apple. Cupertino just snatched up Kristic following his time at OLPC, where he was the architect behind the Bitfrost security specification. He wrote about his new job in a post on his personal blog Monday, and began work at Apple on the same day.

Bitfrost was responsible for password protection, prevention of data loss, hard drive encryption and security updates for the OLPC, which, while not a specific target for hackers, did take an innovative approach to security that Apple could be very interested in learning more about. Somewhat like Google’s Chrome browser, Bitfrost runs every active program on a computer in its own virtual OS instance. As a result, a virus or malware in one program can’t hop to another, or infect the computer’s core files and spy on sensitive data.

The new hire could mean that Apple is looking for ways to safeguard its reputation for better security not just now, but in the future, too. Recent advertising efforts show that it considers its lack of security issues one of its primary selling points. At the same time, Apple must be aware that if its user base continues to grow, hackers will become more and more likely to target OS X vulnerabilities, and that reputation could quickly evaporate.

An innovative, compartmentalized approach to security like the one used by Bitfrost could go a long way to making sure Apple is perceived as a security leader even if user numbers shift in their favor. Don’t expect new measures to be implemented anytime soon, though. Kristic is probably coming on board now in order to work on solutions that will be implemented in whatever OS installment takes shape after Snow Leopard, which is probably at least another couple years off.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• A 2011 Mobile Forecast
• Research Note: What a Skype-Cisco Partnership Could Mean
• Report: The Enterprise Videoconference Landscape, 2010 – 2015